Relief-valve for heating systems.



No. 795,053. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905. A. MOGONAGLE.

V RELIEF VALVE FOR HEATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1905.

WITNES INVENTOR- f I f BY W I M ZZZT TORNW Iw'um w a mun/m m mnmunmcmmms wmuscmmnc UNITED STATES Patented Jun; 18, 1905.

PATENT QFFIQEO RELIEF-VALVE FOR HEATING SYSTEMS- SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,053, dated July 18, 1905. Application filed January 4.1905. Serial No. 239,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR MoGoNAeLE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relief- Valves for Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in relief-valves for heating systems, and particularly to improvements in that class of relief-valves known as motor-valves.

A device constructed according to my invention will permit free discharge of air from the radiator or other apparatus to which it is attached, but automatically closes against the discharge of steam, and means is also provided for discharging water, the opening for water-discharge being of very much greater capacity than the opening for discharging air. The means for permitting the discharge of air while preventing the discharge of steam comprises a thermostatic device, While the means for discharging water is a weight-operated means normally closed under spring tension against the passage of water, but arranged to open for the discharge of water when a predetermined quantity of water has collected.

1 will now proceed to describe an apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

The drawing herewith illustrates in central vertical section a relief-valve embodying my invention.

The device illustrated comprises a shell 1, arranged to be connected to a radiator or other heating apparatus by means of a connection 2, said connection forming an inlet into the interior of the casing 1, said casing also provided with a discharge 3 at its lower end, said discharge arranged to connect with waste or elsewhere, as may be desired. If the valve be employed with a pressure system-that is to say, a heating system in which the heating fluid is carried through the heating system under a pressure above atmosphere-the discharge 3 may connect directly with waste, and may hence be directly open to the atmosphere; but if the valve be employed with a vacuum heating system-that is to say, a system in which the heating fluid is carried through the apparatus by suction and at a pressure less than that of atmosphere-the said discharge 3 will then preferably connect with the suction apparatus.

The upper end of the casing is closed by a cap 4, the said cap being fitted to the casing through an air and steam tight joint.

Connected with the casing at a point near the extreme upper and lower ends thereof is a by-pass 5 6, being a small pipe or nipple connecting the by-pass with the casing at its extreme upper end and forming an inlet thereto, and 7 being a small pipe or nipple connecting the by-pass with the lower end of the casing and forming a discharge. Located in the by-pass is a thermostatic member 8, comprising a hollow tube composed of some material having a high coefficient of expansion, such as carbon secured thereto at its lower end and free to expand longitudinally, a valve-plug 9 being located at the upper end, whereby upon expansion passage through the said thermostatic member, and hence through the by-pass, may be obstructed and closed, but whereby upon contraction the thermostatic member may be drawn away from the valve-plug, so as to permit free passage through the said thermostatic member, and hence through the by-pass, from the inlet 6 to the discharge 7. The inlet 6 being arranged in open communication with the inlet connection 2 and the discharge 7 being in direct connection with the casing-discharge 3 it will be readily seen that air from the radiator or other apparatus to which the valve is connected will be discharged directly through the by-pass, but that when steam impinges upon the thermostatic member 8 the same will be expanded suflicientl y to close passage past the valve-plug 9, and passage of steam will hence be obstructed and prevented.

The valve-plug 9 is screw-threaded in position, whereby ready adjustment may be accomplished, and a cap or closure 10 is preferably provided to protect the outer end of the screw-threaded plug and to prevent its being tampered with.

Located within the casing 1 is a piston 11, accurately fitted to the inner wall of the casing, and a spring 12, bearing between a crosshead 13, carried by the piston and another cross-head 14, carried by the casing, serves to support the said piston and to oppose the downward movement thereof. The piston 11 has a discharge-passage 15 therethrough and is provided with a valve-seat 16. A stationary but adjustable valve-plug 17 is fitted to the cap 4 and is adapted to engage the valveseat v16, as clearly shown in the drawings. The valve-plug may be properly adjusted by reason of the screw-threaded connection thereof with the cap 1, and a hood 18 protects the head of the valve-plug from injury or otherwise by inclosing same.

In its normal condition the tension of the springis such as to lift the piston to a position wherein the valve-seat 16 engages the Valve 17, and the adjustment of the valve-plug will vary' the pressure with which the spring holds the valve andseat together, as will be well understood. This adjustment is designed to be such that the weight of water accumulating in the casing upon the piston 11 will be sufficient to overbalance the spring, forcing the piston down against the pressure thereof, thereby discharging the accumulated water through the passage 15 to discharge. When suflicient water'has been discharged to permit the spring to again lift the piston, the opening 17, will be closed and no further discharge will take place therethrough until sufficient water has again accumulated to operate the Valve by its added weight. The valve is designed so that the diiference of fluid-pressures upon opposite sides of the piston will not be suflicient to operate the piston, but that the additional weight of accumulated water is necessary for this purpose. be seen that I have provided a very simple device for discharging water from a steam-heating system, dependent for its operation upon the accumulation of water and operating then by the simple expedient of utilizing the weight of the water to be discharged. By this means the apparatus becomes independent of Variations in air or gas pressures, and the device is hence the more positive in its action.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing, a piston therein,

exposed on one side to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, and on the other side arranged to receive water to be discharged, of

It will thus a spring opposing the movement of said piston, said piston arranged to be moved, against the resistance of said spring, by the joint action of fluid-pressure and the weight of accumulated water thereon, to discharge said water.

2. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a casing and a spring-supported piston therein, said piston arranged to be operated by the weight of accumulated Water in the casing, of a by-pass for the discharge of air, said by-pass having means therein preventing the discharge of steam therethrough.

3. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a casing and a spring-supported piston therein, said piston arranged to be operated by the weight of accumulated water in the casing, of a thermostatically-controlled by-pass for said casing, around said piston.

4. [n a valve device of the character described, the combination with a casing and a piston therein having a valveseat and a discharge opening from said valve-seat through said piston,of a valve-plug ad justabl y mounted in said casing, a spring supporting said valve, and a by-pass between the upper and lower ends of said casing.

5. In a valve device of the character described, the combination with a casing and a piston therein having a valve-seat and a discharge opening from said valve-seat through said piston, of a valve-plug adjustably mounted in said casing, a spring supporting said piston, and a thermostatically-controlled by-pass between the upper and lower ends of said casing.

6. In a valve device of the character described, the combination with a casing and a piston fitted therein, said casinghaving an inlet at its upper end and a discharge at its' hand.

ARTHUR MOGONAGLE. Witnesses: r

(J. F. CARRINGTON, LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr. 

